I Have Tinea Versicolor
Do you know what that is? 'Cause I sure didn't until the dermatologist told me. He took one look at my shoulders and said "Yep, it's tinea versicolor. I'd know it anywhere." He said the last part as if the thing had killed his parents, so I was sorta scared.
Turns out, tinea versicolor is a harmless, non-contagious skin condition that occurs when naturally present bacteria in the skin go haywire and start producing like high schoolers on prom night. It doesn't itch and is only visible as little red circles when you sweat a lot or have very pale skin, which I don't. So I very rarely see them.
What's odd is doctors have yet to figure out why the bacteria go haywire in some people but not others. Worse yet, there's no cure for tinea versicolor. Zinc helps (the doctor told me to use Selsun Blue) but he conceded that it would only help, not eliminate the problem.
Note: I don't want anyone to think that I look like the guy who starred in that weird movie with Cher, cause I don't. Mercifully, tinea versicolor spares the face and seems to like the shoulders and upper chest. Most of the time it's invisible but if I'm outside for a long time in the heat it flares up. As far as skin conditions go, I ended up pretty lucky.
I hear leprosy isn't exactly a picnic.
Turns out, tinea versicolor is a harmless, non-contagious skin condition that occurs when naturally present bacteria in the skin go haywire and start producing like high schoolers on prom night. It doesn't itch and is only visible as little red circles when you sweat a lot or have very pale skin, which I don't. So I very rarely see them.
What's odd is doctors have yet to figure out why the bacteria go haywire in some people but not others. Worse yet, there's no cure for tinea versicolor. Zinc helps (the doctor told me to use Selsun Blue) but he conceded that it would only help, not eliminate the problem.
Note: I don't want anyone to think that I look like the guy who starred in that weird movie with Cher, cause I don't. Mercifully, tinea versicolor spares the face and seems to like the shoulders and upper chest. Most of the time it's invisible but if I'm outside for a long time in the heat it flares up. As far as skin conditions go, I ended up pretty lucky.
I hear leprosy isn't exactly a picnic.
posted by Yorick at 9:42 PM
3 Comments:
I've got it too.... took my doctor a while to figure it out, but he gave me ONE PILL which cleared it up. It still creeps back now and agian, but is easily dealt with.
Oh, and it tans out evenly eventually too :)
Thanks for the tip... to be honest, it's been a few years since I've seen the doctor about it, and it looks like treatment options have changed a little. I'll have to make an appointment.
Hey both my husband and father-in-law have this condition, it is harmless, but is a real pain in the butt-I am sure the hideous scarring will fade..........
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